Hummingbird cake is a two-layer Southern cake built on mashed bananas, crushed pineapple, cinnamon, and pecans, finished with cream cheese frosting. It takes about 90 minutes start to finish and feeds 12 generously. The honest reason to make it: it actually gets better after a day in the fridge, which makes it one of the most practical cakes you can bake ahead for a gathering.
What makes this version work
Two things matter most here. First, the batter comes together by hand — no creaming butter, no fussy steps. You whisk the dry ingredients, beat the wet ingredients separately, then fold everything together just until combined. Overmixing is the main way to lose the tender crumb, so stop as soon as you don’t see dry flour. Second, draining the crushed pineapple properly before it goes into the batter keeps the layers from turning soggy. Press it in a fine-mesh strainer or squeeze it in a clean kitchen towel — a quick press makes a real difference to the final texture.
What can go wrong
- Bananas aren’t ripe enough: Under-ripe bananas don’t mash smoothly and the cake comes out less sweet and less moist. Use bananas that are heavily spotted or fully brown — if yours aren’t there yet, roast them unpeeled at 300°F for 15 minutes to speed things up.
- Layers dome and slide: If the cake layers dome significantly in the center, let them cool completely and level them with a serrated knife before frosting. Trying to frost domed layers causes the top tier to slide.
- Frosting is too soft to spread: Cream cheese frosting breaks down fast if either the cream cheese or butter is too warm. If it looks loose or greasy, refrigerate the bowl for 15 minutes and beat again before using.
- Pecans sink to the bottom: Tossing the chopped pecans in a tablespoon of the measured flour before folding them in helps them stay distributed through the batter rather than settling.
- Cake sticks to the pan: Greasing and flouring isn’t always enough with a batter this moist. Use parchment rounds on the pan bottoms — skip the garnish pecans on top of the frosting if you’re short on time, not worth the extra dish.
Keeping and reheating
Because of the cream cheese frosting, this cake must be stored covered in the refrigerator. It keeps well for up to 5 days, and the flavor and moisture genuinely improve by day two as the layers settle. If you want to bake ahead, the unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 2 months — thaw them overnight in the fridge before frosting. Individual frosted slices also freeze well; wrap each slice in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Pull a slice out the night before and let it thaw in the fridge. Serve the cake at room temperature for the best texture — take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before slicing.
Hummingbird Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- Two 9-inch / 23cm round cake pans
- Parchment paper rounds
- Large mixing bowl
- Fine mesh strainer
- Wire cooling racks
- Offset spatula
- Electric hand mixer
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 250g, preferably unbleached
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt sea salt preferred
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon freshly ground if possible
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- ½ cup brown sugar 110g, packed
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup vegetable oil 180ml
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
- 2 cups ripe bananas mashed, about 4 large bananas / 450g
- 1 cup crushed pineapple from one 20oz / 567g can, well drained
- ½ cup pecans 60g, toasted and chopped
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese 225g, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter 115g / 1 stick, softened
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar 420g, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
- ½ cup pecans 60g, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 175°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease and flour two 9-inch (23cm) round cake pans, or line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy release.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until well combined.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- In another large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined and smooth. No electric mixer needed — a sturdy whisk works perfectly.1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 large eggs, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry mixture gently, until just combined.
- Add the mashed bananas, drained pineapple, and toasted pecans to the batter. Fold them in carefully using a spatula until evenly distributed.2 cups ripe bananas, 1 cup crushed pineapple, 1/2 cup pecans
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula and tap the pans gently on the countertop to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Do not overbake — the banana and pineapple keep this cake moist, and it will firm up as it cools. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire cooling racks to cool completely before frosting (at least 1 hour).
- For the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating until light and fluffy.8 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Once the cakes are cooled, spread a layer of cream cheese frosting on top of one cake layer. Place the second layer on top and frost the entire cake evenly.
- Garnish the top of the cake with chopped pecans for added texture and flavor. The cake is ready to serve once the frosting has set slightly.1/2 cup pecans
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use canned banana puree instead of fresh mashed bananas?
Fresh mashed bananas work much better here. Canned banana puree tends to be thinner and more processed, which throws off the moisture balance and dulls the flavor — stick with overripe fresh bananas.
Do I have to toast the pecans, or can I skip it?
You can skip toasting and the cake will still turn out fine. Toasting deepens the nutty flavor and keeps the pecans from tasting flat against the sweet batter, so it’s worth the 5 minutes in a dry skillet if you have the time.
Can I make this as a single-layer sheet cake instead of two rounds?
Yes — a 9×13-inch pan works well. Bake at the same temperature and start checking at 35 minutes, since the single thicker layer takes a bit longer than the two rounds.
My cream cheese frosting turned out lumpy. What happened?
Lumps almost always mean the cream cheese wasn’t fully softened before beating. Let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour, then beat the cream cheese alone until completely smooth before adding the butter and powdered sugar.
Can I make the cake layers the day before and frost them the next day?
Yes, and this is actually a good approach. Wrap the cooled layers tightly in plastic wrap and leave them at room temperature overnight, then frost the next day — the layers firm up slightly and are easier to handle.
Try these next
- Heavenly Strawberry Cake with Fresh Berries and Whipped Cream
- Classic Banana Nut Bread
- Indulgent Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake for Celebrations
- Warm and Comforting Classic Apple Crumble
